CD burner program that works without ASPI?

[bizzybody]

I'm fixing up a HP Pavilion 7940, which originally had WinMe on it, so I'm doing a clean install of WinMe.

I've tried InfraRecorder (which won't even launch), DeepBurner (sees the burner but insists it's always 'busy'), ExpressBurn (stealth installs Ask toolbar and can't see the burner).

I've tried force ASPI to get Adaptec ASPI 4.71 installed. Didn't help. Used the batch file from that to remove Adaptec and installed VOB ASPI Layer. Still doesn't work.

What I think *might* help is the final version of the Intel chipset drivers that actually installs drivers instead of claiming that WinMe already supports the chipset. The current download from Intel is NOT the one.

The DVD-ROM drive and 8x CD-RW are the original HP OEM branded ones in this Pavilion model. I'm going to give it to a family, both parents are diabetic and they don't have any extra $ to buy a computer for their kids. Getting the CD burner working is the final thing to do before it's ready.

[Offler]

hmm. aspi layer from adaptec works for me on win98. i dont know where should be the problem.

[submix8c]

? Huh! Don't make sense, has worked for me too.

Try this one as well, just to test the problem -

http://www.imgburn.com/

edit - also check here for good info, "official" downloads, and instructions for a good install -

http://www.adaptec.com/en-US/speed/softwar...i_471a2_exe.htm

http://www.radified.com/ASPI/forceaspi.htm

Second one also has a "utility" to completely remove ASPI for a "clean reinstall".

further info -

http://www.afterdawn.com/guides/archive/aspisetup.cfm

"Google is my friend"

HTH

Edited March 4, 2009 by submix8c

[bizzybody]

hmm. aspi layer from adaptec works for me on win98. i dont know where should be the problem.

This is Windows Millennium NOT 98. I've never had a problem getting a burner working on 98.

Never tried it before on WinMe.

[starcraftmaster]

yea i never heard or done that before

mabye the cd rom driver or dvd drive is dead or some thing Lol

[jaclaz]

These may be of interest too.

http://www.chickensys.com/support/software.../misc/aspi.html

http://www.infocellar.com/CD/aspi.htm

http://web.ncf.ca/aa571/aspi.htm

jaclaz

[herbalist]

Do you have these files on your system? If so, what version number is each file?

ASPIENUM.VXD

WINASPI.DLL

APIX.VXD

WNASPI32.DLL

Each of the above pairs of files must be the same version number.

Rick

[bizzybody]

I got it working. Found out what went wrong.

The ASPI 4.6 option in the Unofficial WinMe service pack 1 2.02 beta 9 screws it up by putting the ASPI files in C:\Windows instead of where they're supposed to be in Windows\system (winaspi.dll and wnaspi32.dll) and Windows\system\iosubsys (apix.vxd)

WinMe doesn't have aspienum.vxd, the file extractor in msconfig doesn't find it.

Since they're in the wrong places, the kill aspi batch file with force aspi can't remove them, but it does remove all the original WinMe aspi files.

And since those other aspi files are in the wrong place, installing any other aspi still won't fix it.

So now the Phillips CDD4801 (with 2,5 firmware) is happily burning a CD-R with Nero 6, without aspienum.vxd.

And now I shall post a note about this at the end of the loooooooooooooong thread for the Me service pack.

Edited March 6, 2009 by bizzybody

[bizzybody]

Aaaaaand now it's not working again. I burned a CD, then I installed Word and Excel from Office XP and now Nero 6 (last version that works on WinMe) is refusing to see the drive is ready.

Nero info tool says ASPI is correctly installed. I've checked and the files are still where I put them. Nothing's changed between getting the burner to work and it quitting again, except for Office. There's no bleeping way Office XP should be mucking up a CD burner.

Since there's no ASPI files in the wrong places, I could try installing Adaptec ASPI. I wonder if there's a newer version of Nero's ASPi

I may have to just give up on WinMe and put XP on this box. Getting fed up with thinking I just about have this system working, then it locks up or won't boot normally or *something* randomly goes wonky. In all the years I've worked on PCs, this is only the second WinMe box I've had to do major work on. Now I know *why* so many people shudder at the mention of it.

I had to nuke and pave it a second time because ExpressBurn not only installed Ask Toolbar without asking, it also slipped in some malware and a trojan- right under the nose of Avast. When I killed the malware, WinMe wouldn't boot at all. May the authors of ExpressBurn contract an incurable disease! Or at least get a computer virus that wipes all their hard drives and infects their BIOS.

[herbalist]

ASPI 4.71 can be installed over 4.60. From its readme file:

Run INSTALL.BAT with the target operating system
   command line option specified:

   X86  ( for Windows 98/ME/NT/2000 )
   XP32 ( for Windows XP 32-bit	 )
   XP64 ( for Windows XP 64-bit	 )

   e.g. "INSTALL.BAT X86"

After installing 4.71 over 4.60, ASPICHK.exe will complain about the unmatched files. As long as the correct pairs of files are the same version as shown below, disregard the warning.

I may have to just give up on WinMe and put XP on this box. Getting fed up with thinking I just about have this system working, then it locks up or won't boot normally or *something* randomly goes wonky.

I've also run into a few WinME boxes like that, unstable and unpredictable, especially when drivers are involved. Win2000 would work very well and would probably be much faster than XP on that box. 98SE would be a more stable option than ME as well. 98SE does most everything ME does without all the strange problems.

Rick

[bizzybody]

Installed Adaptec ASPI with force aspi, was able to copy a CD. I had Nero shut it down when done.

I'll see if it's still working after booting again.

I know this box WAS working, because I'd worked on it back in 2006, installed AVG and Spybot and had to put in a new modem when the original died. The prior owner gave it to me to fix up and find somebody who needed a computer. Unfortunately she'd moved and lost the HP OEM restore discs.

It has the WinMe COA on the side, so I figured may as well put WinMe on it. It's a 1Ghz PIII so it's actually decently speedy, when it's working.